Choose Your Media

Choose Your Media

Determining Your Media Mix

Which medium or combination of media (media mix) is best? It depends on who you’re trying to reach and what percentage of that target you need to reach. There are several advertising options, and the key is determining which mix of media will deliver your message to your target most effectively.

Making this choice is the center and focus of your advertising strategy. Take a closer look at Out-of-Home, Television, Radio, Print, Online and Mobile advertising, and keep your campaign objectives and target in mind as you consider your media mix.

The oldest and most resilient media available, Out-of-Home advertising is also highly adaptive and innovative. Out-of-Home offers new technologies, new formats and creative ways to get your message out there. Out-of-Home media provides a variety of blank canvases from which to choose: helping you to break through advertising clutter and reach the increasingly mobile consumer.

Why choose OOH advertising?

The average consumer now spends more time away from home and on the go than ever before. With the rise of technological conveniences like DVRs, portable music devices and mobile news on demand, consumers are finding more ways to avoid traditional advertising. OOH advertising remains the one medium than cannot be avoided, skipped or turned off.

Consumers are steadily on-the-go, and they see Out-of-Home ads along the way.

The majority of consumers are exposed to Out-of-Home advertising. The average consumer spends over 17 hours per week on the road. 47% of the U.S. travels over 100 miles per week.

Out-of-Home media viewership is high. 80% of consumers have noticed an OOH ad in the past month. 62% notice an OOH ad each week.

Out-of-Home advertising influences purchase decisions. 69% of all purchase decisions are made outside the home. OOH reaches consumers at the right time and place during the purchase process.

How is OOH audience measured?

Geopath provides Geopath Ratings to make outdoor media easy to plan, buy and measure. Geopath Ratings measure audience impressions and translate them into target demographics, reach and frequency. Using geo-audited Out-of-Home locations, demographics and visibility adjustments of each panel, Geopath Ratings measure who actually sees an ad, and delivers highly dependable audience ratings. Advertisers and agencies can evaluate Out-of-Home on equal footing with traditional media (TV, radio, print) since they all report similar metrics.

Best Practices and Considerations

Know your audience. No matter who you’re trying to reach, everyone drives, commutes, walks or rides to and from their destinations each day. Geopath Ratings allow you to reach a specific target audience, making your media dollars more effective.

Keep it simple. Over-complicating your advertising message and cluttering the design can take away from the effectiveness of your Out-of-Home campaign. Visit our design tips page for tips on creating the most effective OOH advertising designs.

Choose the right Out-of-Home product for your campaign. We have a variety of Out-of-Home advertising solutions for your needs, whether your objective is saturating the market instantly or achieving long term brand recognition. Click here to learn more about our products or contact us to start planning your advertising campaign.

Television
Television is a captivating medium that holds the audience’s attention through sight, sound and motion. There are 115,900,000 TV households in the United States, and 93.8% of Americans ages 18+ view television programming on a weekly basis.(Source: Scarborough)

Why Choose Television Advertising?Advertising during big television events has the potential to reach millions of viewers. Commercials give your audience the opportunity to visually understand your product or service. Great commercials are easy to remember. Television has a proven success record for promoting mass consumer products, and it offers wide geographic coverage.

How is Television audience measured?The Nielsen Company provides advertisers with Nielsen Ratings to measure TV viewing audience. Ratings provide information about who is tuning into a TV show, network and programming hour and how many people have the opportunity to see commercials during that time. Your local television or cable rep should provide you with Nielsen Ratings to prove what programs are best for your audience.

Best Practices and ConsiderationsTo use the power of TV, focus on primetime (after 6:00 pm), entertainment and sports on weekends. Restrict buys to the formats (shows) that reach your best potential customers.

Increasing popularity of DVRs diminishes the impact of commercials, since consumers can fast forward through them. Currently, 45.5% of American TV viewers own a DVR. Network television shows are also available online, making it easier to miss “live” scheduled TV programs. In a recent MediaPost article, analysts predicted that entertainment-based video will shift to more on-demand and TV stations will be in the same position as newspapers.

Services such as Hulu, Netflix, online streaming, etc. eliminate TV commercials. There are also hundreds of channels from which to choose, creating audience fragmentation. More channels mean more competition, so it’s necessary to buy ad space across multiple channels in order to reach your target audience.

Commercials are expensive to produce and air. When determining your advertising budget, remember to factor in the cost of producing the commercial as well as the cost of airing it. Consumers aren’t likely to be making purchasing decisions while viewing a commercial.

Television and Out-of-HomeReinforce your Television advertising when viewers are away from their homes during the day by incorporating Out-of-Home into your media mix. Out-of-Home minimizes wasted coverage by providing the ability to target messages geographically. 4 in 10 (40%) OOH media viewers have watched a television program after seeing it advertised on a Billboard or other Out-of-Home medium. Out-of-Home advertising can be used to both complement and drive traffic to the television medium.(Source: 2013 Arbitron Out-of-Home Advertising Study)

Radio
Radio is a universal medium, enjoyed by people at one time or another during the day – at home, work and in the car. 92% of Americans tune into the radio for news, information and entertainment every week.(Source: Radio Advertising Bureau)

Why Choose Radio advertising?

Radio has a proven audience. Nearly seven out of every ten Americans over age 12 tune in on any given day. Radio advertisements, or “spots”, are relatively inexpensive compared to other traditional media choices. Many stations also offer the option to purchase shorter commercials, in intervals of 10, 15 or 30 seconds. The vast array of radio program formats (stations) allows you to target potential customers that are most likely to respond to your offer.(Source: Radio Advertising Bureau)

How is Radio audience measured?

Nielsen Audio measures radio audiences and translates them into ratings that identify who is listening to what type of radio format, which station and at what time of day. Your local radio rep should provide you with Radio Ratings to prove what programs are best for your audience.

Best Practices and Considerations

Radio ads are great for local businesses that are trying to generate brand awareness and a call-to-action. To use the power of Radio, focus on morning and afternoon rush hours when listeners are commuting. Restrict buys to the formats (shows) that reach your best potential customers (target).

When you’re determining your advertising budget, remember to factor in the cost of producing the commercial or jingle as well as the cost of airing it. Radio ads are cluttered with several others at one time, which blend your ad in with your competitors’ messages. Radio is not a visual medium, making it more difficult to capture your audience’s attention. Most listeners are doing something else while listening, so your ad has to work harder to get their attention.

Radio and Out-of-HomeRadio and Out-of-Home reach a mobile audience, and the combination of the two mediums offers a balance of sight (OOH) and sound (Radio). Since listeners often change stations during commercials, Out-of-Home can maintain the market presence of a brand featured on Radio and fill in the gap. 23% of OOH media viewers have tuned to a radio station after seeing it advertised on a Billboard or other Out-of-Home medium. Out-of-Home increases the reach of radio campaigns by providing exposure to a wider audience that might not be listening to the station at the time that the message airs.(Source: 2013 Arbitron Out-of-Home Advertising Study)

Print Advertising
Print is a traditional, visual medium that reaches a large audience. Newspapers and magazines provide consumers with current events, informative articles, features and editorials.

Why Choose Print advertising?

Newspapers
Newspapers are a part of the daily routine for many loyal Americans, providing news and information to readers. Used copies are often left behind and picked up by more than one reader, giving your ad more exposure. Newspapers are printed either daily or weekly, so they have a fast turnaround time if you need to get your ad in quickly. They are great for targeting audiences in a specific geographical area and come in a variety of sizes and formats (such as display ads, classifieds and preprinted inserts).

MagazinesMagazines can be carried by consumers and read almost anywhere at any time. With a range of over 19,000 titles that appeal to a wide variety of demographics, lifestyles and interests, advertisers can focus on reaching a specific target audience. Magazines ads are visually appealing and allow the use of photography, graphics, color and copy. In-depth advertising messages or “advertorials” can also be created to appear more like editorial copy than an advertisement.

How is Print audience measured?
Print media is measured by circulation. Your newspaper or magazine rep should be able to tell you how many people subscribe to the publication. Scarborough also measures American newspaper readership through field interviews conducted by phone. National magazine publications report reader demographics from surveys by GfK Mediamark Research & Intelligence.

Best Practices and ConsiderationsWith print advertising, your audience can refer back to an interesting ad and look at it multiple times, so there’s more room for details. You can target a national, regional or local audience, depending on the edition of the newspaper or magazine.

Magazines have a long lead time, so your ad must be ready months before the publication date. Newspapers have a short lead time, so advertisers can respond instantly to changing market conditions. In general, magazines are better for branding campaigns and newspapers are more effective for call-to-action campaigns, due to the lead time. You should make your decision based on your campaign objectives.

Newspaper and Magazine ads are cluttered with several others at one time, which blend your ad in with your competitors’ messages. Magazine ads can be highly creative and aesthetically appealing through the use of photography, graphics, color and copy. Keep in mind that newspaper ads are typically limited to 2-3 colors, so your message needs to be even stronger in order to stand out.

Newspaper readers tend to pull out the sections that they want to read and then discard the rest. Know your target audience and determine which section they’re most likely to read. The wide variety of magazine titles that are geared toward specific lifestyles and interests can help you target a specific audience. However, with all the titles available on the newsstand, there’s a lot of overlap. You may have to advertise in multiple publications to reach your audience. The internet has caused a decline in print readership because it’s faster to get news online.

Newspapers and Out-of-HomeOut-of-home can extend the life of a Newspaper campaign by presenting messages to your target 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Readership rates are declining due to the alternative sources of news online. Out-of-Home advertising is unavoidable, and impacts consumers who may not subscribe to a newspaper or get their news elsewhere.

Magazines and Out-of-HomeOut-of-Home fills in the gap and strengthens Magazine campaigns by delivering constant exposure to your target between issues or reaches consumers who don't subscribe to the publication.

Online Advertising
Online advertising reaches a mass audience. There are over 273 million internet users in North America alone. The internet is a rich source of information and entertainment. People go online to get the most up to date news, search for information, stay in touch with friends on social media, purchase products and services, watch videos and more. Thanks to the increasing popularity of mobile devices, people can stay connected even when they’re on the go.

Why choose Online advertising?Reach consumers who are able to purchase your products or services with a click of the mouse. You can communicate directly with your customers online. Customers can tell you what they like, what they want and what they will buy. They spend as much time as they choose with any amount of information you provide.Thanks to online commerce, your message can reach consumers just before they buy online and offer detailed information to shape the buying decision. Online advertising is relatively inexpensive compared to other traditional media choices.

How is it measured?
Online ads are typically purchased by Cost Per Thousand Impressions (CPT), Cost Per Click (CPC) and Cost Per Action (CPA). Internet technology allows you to measure exactly how many people saw your message and how they responded. Nielsen and comScore both provide analytics that can help you reach your target audience. Most advertising on the Internet is being sold on a bid basis. The higher the advertiser bids, the better the placement of the ad.

Best Practices and Considerations
Online advertising is flexible, so you should change your message frequently to keep it fresh. With millions of active websites on the Internet that appeal to a wide variety of demographics, lifestyles and interests, advertisers can focus on reaching a specific target audience.

Advertisers can incorporate rich media formats, including animation and videos, into their ads to get consumers’ attention. Online advertising is also available in many formats from banner ads to keywords across many platforms, including popular social media sites.

Every brand needs a good website where people can learn more about the product or service. With the increasing popularity of mobile technology, your website should also have a responsive design so it works across all devices. When determining your advertising budget, you may want to factor in the cost of redesigning your website – especially if you’re planning to advertise online.

As Online advertising becomes more popular and accepted, consumer awareness decreases. Many Internet users tune out ads or block them with software designed for this purpose. Legitimate ads are hard to distinguish from those that are malicious. Individuals using the Internet for spreading viruses or electronic fraud have created worries among Internet users.

Online and Out-of-HomeWhen users aren't online, Out-of-Home advertising extends the reach and frequency of Online campaigns. Out-of-Home advertising designs are meant to be short, which is perfect for pointing users to a website and increasing overall traffic. Nearly 1 in 4 (26%) adults who have viewed a Billboard or other Out-of-Home medium in the past month have visited a website they have seen advertised.

Linking Social Media to Digital Billboards is another way to 'plug in' what you're already doing and extend the conversation where people are making their buying decisions. User-generated content from Social Media and websites can be displayed directly to Digital Billboards with Lamar's technological capabilities.(Source: 2013 Arbitron Out-of-Home Advertising Study)

Mobile Advertising
Mobile advertising reaches a mass audience. 58% of all U.S. consumers already own a smartphone, and over 1.2 billion people access the web from their mobile devices. According to comScore, consumers overwhelmingly prefer to engage with content on apps, which accounts for 4 out of every 5 mobile minutes, rather than the mobile web. People use mobile devices to access the most up to date news, search for information, stay in touch with friends on social media, purchase products and services, watch videos, download apps and more. Mobile devices make it easy for people to stay connected when they’re on the go. In fact, global mobile traffic now accounts for 17% of all Internet traffic. That number is growing by 50% per year. Market experts anticipate that this trend is likely to maintain its trajectory or even accelerate.
(Sources: comScore, Trinity Digital Marketing, Internet Trends 2013, Mashable)

Why choose Mobile advertising?
Today, the U.S. consumer spends an average of two hours and 28 minutes per day on smartphones and tablets. In fact, one in three minutes spent online is done so through a mobile device, rather than a desktop. Why not capitalize on this statistic by reaching out to consumers who are able to purchase your products or services directly on their mobile device, anywhere or anytime?

There are a variety of mobile strategies that can be used to complement your ad campaign. Mobile apps can be used to boost brand awareness or deliver information, entertainment and notifications to your audience. Mobile coupons make it easier for consumers to access money-saving promotions while they’re shopping and can be delivered via text message or based on location. Location-specific advertising is gaining popularity, as users are becoming increasingly open to receiving ads and promotions that are relevant, reaching them in the right place at the right time.

How is it measured?
Mobile ads are typically purchased by views (Cost Per Impression), Cost Per Click (CPC) and Cost Per Interaction (CPI). Internet technology allows you to measure how many people saw your message and how they responded (installed an app, clicked something, etc.) on their mobile device. comScore and Nielsen both provide analytics that can help you reach your target audience.

Best Practices and Considerations
Mobile advertising is flexible. Take advantage of the medium by changing your message frequently. With millions of active websites that appeal to a wide variety of demographics, lifestyles and interests, advertisers can focus on reaching a specific target audience. It’s important to make your mobile ads relevant either based on context or location. For example, if a user is reading an article about how to save money on airfare, a contextually relevant ad would be a coupon for discounted plane tickets and a location-based ad would be a coupon for parking at an airport, based on your location.

Mobile advertising is also available in many formats from text messaging to location-based promotions that reach consumers in the right place at the right time. Advertisers can incorporate rich media formats, including animation and videos, into their ads to get consumers’ attention.

The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) have published mobile advertising guidelines with creative design principles and specifications for mobile web ads, text messages, multimedia messaging, mobile video and applications. Ask your media rep to provide you with an interaction rate so that you can gauge whether your ad is effective. You can use those metrics to modify your message, images, video content, etc.

Every brand needs a good website where people can learn more about the product or service. 61% of people have a better opinion of brands when they offer a good mobile experience. If you’re planning to advertise on mobile, your website should also have a responsive design or mobile version so it works across all devices. When determining your advertising budget, you will need to factor in the cost of redesigning your website for mobile, so users can access content and make purchases on the go.
(Sources: Mobify, Latitude)

Mobile and Out-of-Home
Mobile and OOH advertising reach similar audiences. Both market to a younger, educated, affluent and mobile audience.

OOH enhances the growing impact of mobile devices. Mobile delivers a one-on-one interaction with consumers. Outdoor advertising reaches a mass audience and delivers a one-to-many interaction, which complements and increases the impact of a mobile advertising campaign. Out-of-Home advertising designs are meant to be short, which is perfect for pointing users to a website or app on a mobile device and increasing overall traffic. Nearly 1 in 4 (26%) adults who have viewed a Billboard or other Out-of-Home medium in the past month have visited a website they have seen advertised.

Out-of-Home advertising also reaches consumers during a time when they are not able to interact with mobile devices and advertising. While consumers are on the road and behind the wheel, OOH remains the only type of advertising reaching consumers during travel time. In this sense OOH and mobile media work well together, reaching consumers outside of the home in more than one way and during different time periods.

Out-of-Home advertising meets mobile technology with RoadNinja, an interstate travel app from Lamar Advertising Company that is revolutionizing the out-of-home industry. Increase your exposure and complement your out-of-home advertising campaign by adding a promotion and displaying your logo on our RoadNinja app – at no extra charge. It's our way of saying thank you for doing business with us.
(Source: 2013 Arbitron Out-of-Home Advertising Study)